Brillion seeder for alfalfa/grass mixes

[Stocker Steve]

Have you seen thicker stands using a Brilllion seeder vs. a seed box on a grain drill followed by a roller packer?

If so, were they improved enough to allow you to reduce the seeding rate?

 

[KMacGinley]

Yes to both questions. I have gotten great alfalfa stands with 10lbs. of seed with a brillion seeder.

 

[ALX.]

Yes to both questions. I have gotten great alfalfa stands with 10lbs. of seed with a brillion seeder.

Been watching this one Steve, was gonna respond but all the info I have is 2nd hand.

KMac, how level/even does the seedbed have to be? Have heard the Brillion will miss patches where the roller gets lifted by a ridge?

I know their real claim to fame is highly accurate seed rate.

I have had "good" luck with an old drill ( Massey 33 ) and packer, but get an urge to buy whenever I see a used Brillion for sale locally.

 

[dun]

The only place I had any success with a borrowed brillion was in a prepared seed bed. That wasn;t all that good mostly because of the slight uneveness of the ground and the rocks in the Ozarks.

 

[dyates]

What are the differences between a Brillion and a Tye? We have had success drilling alfalfa through killed wheat with a pull behind pasture pleaser. We also have drilled winter rye through shortly grazed fescue sod with pretty good success.

 

[dun]

What are the differences between a Brillion and a Tye? We have had success drilling alfalfa through killed wheat with a pull behind pasture pleaser. We also have drilled winter rye through shortly grazed fescue sod with pretty good success.

The brillion I used didn;t have openers, just a bunch of wide sprocket looking things. The seed dribled down onto a plate that ran the width of the seeder and the sprocket looking things pushed the seed into the ground. The tye has a colter to cut the sod and openers and press wheels. Looked like this sort of but old and rusty

 

[Stocker Steve]

Yes to both questions. I have gotten great alfalfa stands with 10lbs. of seed with a brillion seeder.

Was there grass in addition to the 10# of alfafa?

 

[KMacGinley]

We disked it twice before planting, as far as the unevenness, I suppose that the seed might not be covered if the cultipackers don't touch the soil, but I don't think this was much of a problem. The first roller levels the seed bed and the second one covers the seed or actually presses it in a 1/4 inch or so.

I dumped orchard grass on top of the alfalfa seed. about 1-2 lbs per acre. I put oats in the big box. You can mimic using a brillion by cultipacking a field, spreading seed from a broadcaster and then cultipacking again. We had success with this before we got ahold of the brillion.